]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2015/09/01/new-grants-for-cross-border-investigations/feed/0Campaign to Help Macedonian Investigatorhttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/11/17/campaign-to-help-macedonian-investigator/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/11/17/campaign-to-help-macedonian-investigator/#commentsSun, 17 Nov 2013 15:50:16 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=8173The Macedonian investigative reporter Tomislav Kezarovski was arrested in May 2013 and has now been sentenced to 4,5 years in prison after an article where he uncovered misuse of police autorithy. N-Ost, the Network for East Europe reporting, encourages all to protest the sentence before it becomes legally binding,

Kezarovski is accused of revealing the identity of a protected witness in an article he wrote in 2008 for the “Reporter 92” magazine. However, with his article Kezarovski simply uncovered misuse of police authority in a murder case: Later the protected witness told a court that his testimony regarding the murder was false and was made under threats from the police. With his report in 2008 Kezarovski thus clearly acted in public interest, N-Ost states.

The organisation asks colleagues to support Tomislav Kezarovski and media freedom in Macedonia by showing their protest on the social media channels of the Macedonian authorities in charge. Read more at the N-Ost homepage.

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/11/17/campaign-to-help-macedonian-investigator/feed/0Call For Tomislav Kezarovski’s Immediate and Unconditional Releasehttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/07/06/call-for-tomislav-kezarovskis-immediate-and-unconditional-release/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/07/06/call-for-tomislav-kezarovskis-immediate-and-unconditional-release/#commentsSat, 06 Jul 2013 04:58:46 +0000Helene Cherethttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=7988(Berlin/Belgrade/Skopje/Kopenhagen) July 2nd, 2013 – The international journalist organisations n-ost, BIRN and Scoop condemn the detention of the Macedonian investigative journalist Tomislav Kezarovski. We ask the authorities in charge to release Tomislav Kezarovski immediately. We also call to the EU delegation in Skopje to draw the Macedonian government’s attention to his case and publicly call for Kezarovski’s immediate release.

Kezarovski is a journalist of the “Nova Makedonija” daily. Prior to his arrest, he was investigating the death of Nikola Mladenov, a Macedonian publisher and editor of an independent media outlet.

Tomislav Kezarovski is accused of revealing the identity of a protected witness in an article he wrote in 2008 for the “Reporter 92” magazine. The journalist has been detained now for more than 30 days. Last week the Skopje Criminal Court ruled that he should remain behind bars for another 30 days, because he may “escape or influence other witnesses” in a wider investigation.

With his report in 2008 he clearly acted in public interest. Revealing the identity of a false witness, he proved abuse by the police in a murder case: Later the protected witness told a court that his testimony regarding the murder was false and was made under threats from the police. An investigative judge has reportedly demanded that the journalist reveals the identity of his source.

This is the first time in Macedonia that a journalist is being detained for a text he wrote. We are convinced that his arrest and the accusation against him are meant to frighten a colleague, who clearly acted in public interest. His case also poses a threat to other journalists and therefore to independent reporting and media freedom in Macedonia.

Please support our colleague Tomislav Kezarovski, whom we know personally from several of our projects, by signing the attached letter and sending it to Tatjana Mihajlovska, judge in charge, (via fax 00389 2 3292 633).

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/07/06/call-for-tomislav-kezarovskis-immediate-and-unconditional-release/feed/0Drug-Addicted Children Die in the Streetshttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/02/14/drug-addicted-children-die-in-the-streets/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/02/14/drug-addicted-children-die-in-the-streets/#commentsThu, 14 Feb 2013 14:48:14 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=7718Erhan, Sali and Femi are no longer alive. They all died of a heroin overdose during the last few months. They were 10, 11 and 13 years old. In Skopje, Macedonia, no institution gives help to children between 5 and 14 years, who are addicted to heroin and glue sniffing. These youngsters need medical and psychological help, but no institution is prepared to help them due to their age. Left on their own, they die on the streets.

Erhan died in the center of Skopje, at “Record” and was found by passers-by. Shortly after, Sali died near the city square, at “Mepso”. A syringe was found next to him. The children that we used to see in the center of Skopje every day, running after us with the words: “Auntie, give me 5 denars”, are not there anymore.

Reporters Meri Jordanovska and Marija Mitevska met Erhan exactly a year ago, in front of the entry of the City Trade Center in Skopje. He told them his New Year wishes, he counted to 10, that was what he knew, he told them what he wanted to do when he grew up.

- I want to have children, a house, to work…I would work anything, I would throw garbage for example, just to have money.

Erhan is not there anymore, he did not live to find a job, to have children and a house. At the same place now there are other children. They are the same age as Erhan and heroin addicts.

When the reporters asked them about the death of Erhan, Sali and Femi, they ran away. They were scared that they might be social workers who would take away custody from their parents.

Read Jordanovska’s and Mitevska’s follow-up on the investigation of Skopje’s drug-addicted children – Part 1 – Part 2

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2013/02/14/drug-addicted-children-die-in-the-streets/feed/0Pulling out of the Balkans Media Markethttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/23/pulling-out-of-the-balkans-media-market/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/23/pulling-out-of-the-balkans-media-market/#commentsTue, 23 Oct 2012 09:18:00 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=5825The German media company WAZ is one of the strongest in Europe. But its entry in the Balkans was not so easy.

The work of WAZ in Serbia and Croatia is marked with media companies in debts, nontransparent business practice, ties to tycoons close to the state, tight connection with the governments, obsolete editorial policies and partially fulfilled contractual obligations.

Reporters Ilko Ćimić and Žarka Radoja researched the issue. Their work was published on October 23, 2012, in the influential regional online media e-Novine.com and Croatian online media Index.hr

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/23/pulling-out-of-the-balkans-media-market/feed/0Corruption Finds New Wayshttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/05/corruption-finds-new-ways/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/05/corruption-finds-new-ways/#commentsFri, 05 Oct 2012 10:16:44 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=5146Million’s of euros are transferred from the Macedonian state budget to marketing agencies which are close to government parties or are owned by state officials or their family. This investigation shows, that the Macedonian vice-premier is directly connected with a marketing agency, which constantly receive money from his cabinet or entire government institutions. Experts says this is a more sophisticated way of corruption.

The company in question is called “Screen Media”, and two of the owners are cousins of the Deputy Prime minister, Adam Abdulaqim. He makes sure that projects from his domain go through this company.

According to the documentation, “Screen Media” is an agency established in August 2008, shortly after DUI came on power. In a period of three years it has become a giant that owns many locations for the placement of advertising billboards and lighting in many cities of the country.

The story was investigated by Arben Zeqiri and broadcast in TV ALB on May 11, 12 and 13, 2011, and published in KOHA E RE (a daily newspaper in Macedonia) on May 13, 2011. Pictures were done by KOHA E RE and TV ALB.

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/05/corruption-finds-new-ways/feed/0Dressed Up in Stolen Feathershttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/03/dressed-up-in-stolen-feathers/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/03/dressed-up-in-stolen-feathers/#commentsWed, 03 Oct 2012 19:05:32 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=5136Dolce&Gabbana, Cavalli, Gucci… you find the brands in fancy malls, but also in Macedonian garages. Inspectors from Macedonian customs entered there, disguised as buyers, and went out with the arrested owners of the improvised shops.

Smugglers manage to get in the pieces of Trussardi, Dior and Armani and other well known brands. Most often they bring them from Serbia or Greece. But the items are not bought from designers’ factories or warehouses – purchasers buy from thieves. So the jet setters and politicians decorate themselves with stolen brands.

Macedonia is often a transit country for such smuggling. The customs and the inspectors that protect industrial property think that the chain of hawkers is well-organized.

In Macedonia Madam Pepi was the synonym of a shop for black market branded clothes. For more than a decade she dressed Macedonian lawyers, members of Parliament, people from the show business, but also journalists. Everyone knew that they were buying illegally, but they didn’t say it. It was more important for them to show themselves than to say it. Now, in prison, Pepi most often wears sports clothes. We don’t know whether they are branded as she turned down our request for an interview. She has been sentenced to four years in prison as she also brought cocaine for her customers from the jet set with the fur coats and the dresses.

Branded goods “Full Fullova” – is only one of those internet boutiques which on Facebook call customers to buy Burberry and Cavalli shoes for 15 or 35 Euros, Louis Vuitton for the same amount – true to the original. Serbia is the neighbour where the well manufactured copies come from and Greece is the neighbor where quotas come from. They start from China, go to Turkey and then by ship through the Thessaloniki port to the Union and then in trucks they travel to Belgium via Macedonia as a transit.

Reporters Snezana Lupevska, Maja Jovanovska and Emilija Jovanovska folowed the trail. Their stories were published on Macedonian tv, Channel 5, on May 8, 2011.

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/10/03/dressed-up-in-stolen-feathers/feed/0Kidney Patients Get Hepatitis in Hospitalhttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/kidney-patients-get-hepatitis-in-hospital/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/kidney-patients-get-hepatitis-in-hospital/#commentsSun, 23 Sep 2012 18:52:35 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=5066Kidney patients in Macedonia become infected with Hepatitis C, when they go to clinics and hospitals for dialysis. Patients as well as nephrologists (kidney specialists) confirm this. The reason is that the safety standards are not put into practice, and there is no control of the patients’ safety.

Economic analysts say that dialysis is carried out in substandard conditions due to the fact that the centers do not have enough money for dialysis.

The data from the dialysis centers about patients infected with Hepatitis C are striking. According to the kidney patients’ association “Nefron”, there are centers where 30 per cent of the patients are infected, but there are also centers where more than one half of the patients are infected with Hepatitis C.

According to experts, the infection is transmitted because the machines are not always completely sterilized between patients. They also save on gloves, so the nurses can transmit the infection. “The same nurse works with both patients infected with Hepatitis C and those who are not”, complains Dushko Gjorgjievski, vice president of “Nefron”. He claims that patients who come to the dialysis centers, due to the physical non-separation, are directly exposed to Hepatitis B and C infection.

Experts say that the main problem is the lack of sufficient dialyses places. The nephrologist Ninoslav Ivanovski, explains: “So, if there are not enough places for dialysis, it happens that healthy patients are placed on machines on which only positive patients are dialyzed”. According to his estimates, in some centers there is even 90 per cent infection with Hepatitis C. Ivanovski believes that the problem is also in the fact that patients are not regularly controlled whether they are infected or not as the money for testing is a burden on centers’ budgets.

Jasmina Jovanovska investigated the situation. Her article was published in the daily newspaper “Utrinski vesnik” on June 5, 2011.

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/kidney-patients-get-hepatitis-in-hospital/feed/0Child Prostitution Continues in Macedoniahttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/child-prostitution-continues-in-macedonia/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/child-prostitution-continues-in-macedonia/#commentsSun, 23 Sep 2012 14:14:01 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=5057Again, Macedonian public has been astounded by the news that two 14-year-old girls had become victims of a chain of juvenile prostitution. Six years ago in a similar case, twelve men were sentenced to a total of 65 years’ imprisonment for а child sexual abuse. Now another network was detected also in the same city, Shtip in eastern Macedonia. Two 14-year-old girls were involved. Viktorija Dimitrova–Jovanova and Vesna Kolovska investigated whether these two cases were related.

The reporters talked to one of the girls involved in juvenile prostitution. She started at the age of 14, when she said she has entered the prostitution “half-consciously”. A young café owner, whom she considered to be her boyfriend, started selling her to clients, and after a few months he was reported to the police. He was sentenced to 3.5 years imprisonment, but he never served the sentence, because he had run away abroad. The second girl is not alive any more. According to the doctors’ report, she committed suicide with an overdose of sedatives, but according to her parents she had been overdosed by the pimps a day before her witnessing in the investigation.

Six years later two other girls at their age confirmed to the police that they had been giving sexual services for money to men.

This investigation lasted for about three months and just like six years ago, the case was based on the girls’ statements. The girls’ age from the two cases is a pure coincidence, but the question is why is Shtip the only town in Macedonia where two cases of juvenile prostitution have been found and closed? One of the judges Stojan Mihov, accredits the merit to the agile police and the circumstances.

]]>http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/child-prostitution-continues-in-macedonia/feed/0Your Phone Company is Looking Out for the Pennieshttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/your-phone-company-is-looking-out-for-the-pennies/
http://i-scoop.org/scoop/blog/2012/09/23/your-phone-company-is-looking-out-for-the-pennies/#commentsSun, 23 Sep 2012 13:43:28 +0000Trine Smistruphttp://i-scoop.org/scoop/?p=5041If your telephone bill was charged a couple of cents more, you wouldn’t even notice. It doesn’t really mean much to the customer, but on the company’s side it means millions. This was the case with the “mailbox”, when mobile operators earned millions and then they were punished with serious fines.

“It was about services which the consumers did not actually use – as was the mailbox. Even though these unjustified payments did not include high amounts from the individual perspective (about 6 denars per consumer), at a company level it meant a lot of money,” says Valentina Nikolova – leader of a sector within the Commission for Competition Protection.

Last year T-Mobile Macedonia was fined with 800,000 Euros by the Commission for the mailbox service which was directly harming the consumers. This year, another mobile operator, ONE Telecommunication Services was also fined with 250,000 Euros for the same mistake.

Due to a manipulative expense which damaged the consumers, EVN Macedonia was fined with about 500,000 Euros and almost 1 million Euros was the fine that Macedonian Telecom had to pay for the abuse of its dominant position in the market whereupon it charged the consumers from 6.25 to 50 denars for manipulative expenses depending of the type of service.

Meri Jordanovska checked the phone bills and published the investigation in FOKUS, a weekly newspaper in Macedonia, on December 9, 2011.